1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of medical instruments and specifically to a means for clamping the optic nerve during enucleation.
2. Background Art
During enucleation, the removal of a diseased eyeball, the optic nerve is usually clamped to insure hemostasis and to facilitate excision of a long segment of the optic nerve. In the past, this process of clamping the optic nerve during enucleation has been done blindly, by feel, with a hemostat. The disadvantage of this procedure has been uncertainty as to the extent and type of tissue in the clamp.
Unintended excision of large amounts of surrounding tissue can occur occasionally and, rarely, rupture of the eyeball itself can occur if great care is not exercised when using conventional equipment. A large loss of tissue behind the eyeball globe can cause secondary problems including prosthesis migration.
It would be highly desirable to have a surgical instrument which facilitates the clamping of the optic nerve and particularly an instrument which allows isolation of the nerve. Further, it would be desirable to have an instrument which decreases the possibility of inadvertent excision in the back part of the eyeball and which reduces the likelihood of damage to the surrounding tissue. In addition, it would be highly desirable to provide a surgical instrument that allows for positive identification of the optic nerve before clamping.